Edward b



July 24, 1923.

E B HESS TYPEWRITING MACHINE 'Filed Nov. 17, 1921 Patented July 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES EDWARD B. HESS, OF MANHATTAN BEACH, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'J.O ROYAL TYPE- W'RITEB COMPANY, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OENEW YORK.

'rYrEwRI'rINe MACHINE.

Application filed November 17, 1921. Serial No. 515,842.

To all whomitma l concem: X

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. Hess, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manhattan Beach, county of Kings, New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in v Typewriting Machines, of which the followdurin bars, y a universal bar mechanism of 1min is a specification.

his invention relates to typewriting machines of the front-strike visible class in which the type bars are pivotally connected with a vertically arranged segment and normally lie horizontally, being link-connected -with ke levers arranged in stepped banks or "rows be ow the plane of the type bars.

One of the principal objects of myinvention is to provide means whereby the noise produced by the impact of the type bars on the platen may'be reduced. Inmy United States Patent No. 1,390,708, of

September 13, 1921, I have shown means whereby such noise may be greatly reduced by so or' anizing the mechanism that when the key evers are depressed the type bars are moved to a position considerably in advance of the platen, the further movement of the type bars to the laten being caused by their momentum, and therefore such subject matter is not broadly claimed herein.

According to my present invention a direct connection is made by means of links between the t e bars and the key levers, the key levers ing provided with upwardly projecting arms between their opposite ends and the arm of each lever being connected by a singlelink to the heel of an associated type bar. In this organization, when a key is depressed the associated type bar is moved to a predetermined position in front of the laten and the type bar is further moved by its momentum to the printing point. In this way the noise of impact is reduced.

The escapement mechanism is operated, the momentumperiod of the type provedconstruction,

In the accompanying draw1ngs:-- Figure 1 shows a vertical section of a typewriting machine, only such parts thereof as are necessary to illustrate my invention being shown. 7 v

Figure 2 is y a detail view, showing the postion of a type bar when it has reached the -momentum period, and this figure indicates how the type bars engage the universal bar and how the connections between the type bars and the key levers are brought to a. dead center or t-oggle-locking position when the keysare depressed. This figure of the drawings also lndlcates the position of the con ATENT OFFICE.

nections when the type bars are moved to the printing point.

Figure 3shows a section on the line 33 of Fig. 1 and illustratescertain important parts of the universal bar mechanism.

Figure 4: is a detail viewofparts of the universal bar.

Parts of a typewriter carriage are indicated at A and B indicates a platen; C shows a type bar segment and D a type bar guide; E indicates escapement mechanism. The ty e bars F are pivoted at f to the segment whic as usual, is semi-circular and is verticall arranged. Normally the type barslie hOIlzontally and are supported by a cushioned frame Gr. The key levers H are arranged in four banks or rows and are all of the same length. They are pivotally mounted in bearings 72, in an inclined frame I; The key levers are thus arranged in different horizontal planes. They move about four different axes corresponding with the ositions of the finger-pieces of the levers. he front portions of the key levers extend through a frame J which acts as a dust-shed and the upward movement of the levers is limited by cushioned stops K.

Each key lever is formed intermediate its link L, said link being pivoted at w to the heel of the type bar below its pivot, and pivotally connected at y with the upper end of the arm h of the associated key lever. Normally the key levers and the ty e bars lie horizontally, as shown in Fig. 1, but when a key is depressed the associated'type bar is raised towards the platen, in the manner presently described. In order to return the type bars and the key levers to normal'position I employ springs M, one for each type bar, and its associated lever. Each spring is attached to a type bar in front of its pivot and to alugm on. a link L some distance from itsjconne'ction with the type bar. These lugs we may be located the same distance from the type bar pivots so that springs of the same length maybe employed which is a convenience in-assembling-the parts. When a key lever is depressed the associated type bar is raised to the position F shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. At this time the pivot points x and 3 at opposite ends of the link L are in a straight; line with the pivot of the type' bar. This is a dead center or togglelocking postion and tends to arrest the further movement of the type bar but the type .bar is carried to the printing point by its momentum. In this way the noise produced by the impact of the type bar on the platen is v,materially reduced. The position F at the commencement of the momentum period is preferably considerably more than 5 from the platen. The position of a type bar when it strikes the platen is indicated at F". p

By employing key levers of the second order, arranged in the manner shown, levers of the same length may be used; they may all be depressed to the same extent and they exert a uniform pull on the type bars to move them to the platen. The direct connection of the key levers with the type bars is anadvantage inasmuch as it dispenses with other links or levers which are employed insome other constructions v The escapement mechanism is in general of well known construction. As shown in the drawings 6, indicates an escapement wheel; 6 afixed dog; 6 a limber dog and e a rocker plate pivotally mounted at 6. This escapement mechanism is operated by'universal bar mechanism actuated by the type bars.

The universal bar comprises a frame N having a semi-circular front part a adapted to be engaged by lugs f on the heels of the type bars in rear of their pivots. The front part a of the frame is supported by arms a pivotally connected to the frame at a" and pivotally connected at their lower ends to a horizontally arranged rocker rod 0, carried by'the front end of arms P, rigidly connected with a rigidly supported bar Q. An; arm R, mounted to turn on the frame bar Q, extends upwardly therefrom and is connected by .a link S with the escapement rocker pl ate e Said arm R is pivotally connected at r with a part of the frame N, as shown.

A spring T, attached to the arm R1 intermediate its upper and lower ends, extends rearwardly and downwardly therefrom to an arm U rigidly mounted on the frame bar Q. This spring tends to hold the universal bar mechanism in normal positionand to return it to such position. at the proper.

time. v

When a key is depressed and a type bar is actuated the lug f on said type bar first engages the frame N, in the manner indicated in Fig. 2. When it thus comes into engagement with the frame, the type bar is in the position indicated at F atthe com= mencement of the momentum period. As the type bar moves to the platen the frame N is moved forwardly, the arms a swinging on their pivots a? in the manner indicated in Fig. 4. This figure of the drawings shows by dotted line the forward position of the parts and it will be observed. that the mechanism is such that a parallel motion is obtained. By reference to Fig. 3 it will be observed that the arm R is held on the frame bar Q between the hub of the arm U and aparts are either in upper 'orlowencase posi-.- tion. The dotted line 8 in Fig. 1 shows'the position of the link S when the carriage is shifted forupper case printing. The frame N and many other parts of the universal bar mechanism may be made of sheet. metal and being thus light can be easily operated.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typewriting machine the combina.- tion of key levers of the second: order having upwardly extending arms, type bars,

links of different lengths connecting. the type bars with the upwardly projecting arms of the key levers, and springs of the same length connected with thetype bars in front of their pivots and with the links ehind the arms of the key levers.

2. In a typewriting machine thecombinaorder link-connected therewith, a dust-shed through which the key levers extend, and stops on the dust-shed for limiting the up.- wardmovement of the key levers.

3. In a typewriting machine,the combination with'the key levers and the type bars,

of escapement mechanism including a rocker plate, and universal bar mechanism comprising a frame moved forwardly by the type bars in their movement, a rocker rod which is arm connected to the frame, means for supporting said rod, a verticalarm. pivotally mounted at its lower-end and pivotally connected to the universal bar frame at its upper end, and a link connection. between said arm and the-escapementrocker plate. H I

4. In a typewriting machine the combination with the type barsand the key. levers, of escapement mechanism including a rocker. plate, and universal bar mechanism comprising a curved frame, a supporting rod therefor, arms'fpivotally connected witlisaid;v frame and wlth said rod, a frame bar, ar s? '105 tion of type bars,'key levers of the second. I

extending forwardly from the frame bar ment rocker plate, and a spring for holding the parts in normal position.

5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of the type bars and key levers of the second order arranged at different levels, said levers having upwardly projecting arms of uniformlength, and links of different lengths connecting the key levers with the type bars, the full depression of any key lever moving the link to a dead center position with the type bar at a distance from the y platen from which position it completes its travel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

6. In a typewriting machine, the combination of the type bars and key levers of the second orderhaving upwardly projecting arms, links of different lengths pivoted to the type bars and to the said arms, the full depression of any key lever moving the link to a position in which its ends are in a straight line with the type bar pivot with the type bar at a distance from the platen from which position it completes its travel by momentum alone, thus reducing noise.

It testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

EDWARD B. HESS. 

